History of African East Enders focus of exhibition

The exhibition is on show at Tower Hamlets Town Hall until 29 March

An exhibition that tells the stories of African people who lived in the East End of London during the time of the transatlantic slave trade has gone on show at Tower Hamlets Town Hall.

The Communities of Liberation exhibition features artwork, poetry, podcasts and creative writing, as well as archival sources.

Its creators researched records of baptisms, marriages and "runaway notices" from 18th-century newspapers, in which rewards were offered for Africans who had liberated themselves from enslavement.

The exhibition, which is on show at the town hall in Whitechapel until 29 March, is expected to tour other venues in the borough of Tower Hamlets throughout 2025.

The "milestone" historical exhibition "changes the narrative", according to the council

It was created by six local residents who used archive collections to tell stories of the lives of Africans who lived in the East End between 1567 and 1802.

Among the stories featured are of Sabinah, who was transported from Jamaica and found refuge in Whitechapel; Pompey, a trumpet player in Bethnal Green; and Ann, a "maid" in Limehouse who escaped from her captor.

Councillor Kamrul Hussain, cabinet member for culture and recreation, said the area "has been a place of refuge for centuries for people who have settled here and worked and lived together, making a new life for themselves and their families".

He added: "Until now there has been no public recognition that so many people from Africa and the Caribbean lived and survived here, in what is now Tower Hamlets, from the mid-1500s – during the transatlantic slave trade.

"This milestone exhibition changes the narrative.

"It is a big step on the way to our vision – to create an outdoor public memorial to honour the lives of these individuals."

The council is conducting a public consultation on the design and location of the memorial, due to be installed in 2026.

Communities of Liberation is being funded by Historic England's Everyday Heritage grant programme, celebrating working-class histories.

Sean Curran, head of inclusive heritage at Historic England, said: "The responses of the young co-producers to the fragments of archival material about the Africans who lived in the East End hundreds of years ago are moving and vital."